Brazil shuts border for Venezuelan refugees

In an attempt to escape the impact of Venezuelan political and economic crisis, a Brazilian judge has redirected authorities to shut the borders. The order seeks to keep the borders closed until the orderly procedures for immigration could be put in place.

Federal Judge Helder Barreto, ordered the borders of northern Brazilian state of Roraima to be kept shut stating that the state could achieve an equilibrium between the arrival and exit of migrants in Brazil, as reported by ANI.

An estimated number of immigrants entering Brazil from Venezuela is almost 500 per day. As per the reports, tens of thousands of Venezuelans are residing in Roraima. It could be almost 10 percent of the influx of state’s population of 520,000 inhabitants.

Following recommendations by the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, the Brazilian Air Force in May began airlifting Venezuelan immigrants from Roraima for re-settlement in other cities of Brazil.

Till now some 820 Venezuelans have been flown out of Boa Vista, the state capital, by the Air Force. But state officials say more than 500 Venezuelans cross into Brazil every day on average and many stay in Roraima because they cannot afford to move on, as reported by US News.

The state government also proclaimed that the Venezuelans seeking medical and other social services in Roraima would have to present a valid passport, which many of the refugees do not hold.

Brazilian President Michel Temer asserted that he hopes the SC would deny to the state’s pleas to close the Roraima borders for Vanezuelans because that would violate international treaties. Tremer also said closing the border’s is not the Brazil’s way of doing it and that his government was delivering assistance requested by Roraima.